Harper review: Government faces stoush with authors over removal of parallel book imports

The Turnbull government is set for a fiery showdown with some of Australia's most popular authors over its plan to loosen restrictions on book imports.

Advocates of removing parallel import restrictions on books argue the move would bring prices down for Australian book buyers, while publishers say it will make it harder for emerging local writers to compete with books from overseas.

Australian book publishers currently have 30 days to establish their copyright for a particular book by making it available in Australia. If they do so in this time, book retailers are restricted from importing more copies from overseas suppliers.

The Rudd government considered abolishing the restrictions in 2009 following a recommendation from the Productivity Commission, but backed down following a fierce campaign by authors and publishers.

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Australian books are on average 35 per cent more expensive than in the United States, the Productivity Commission found.

Booker Prize-winning author Richard Flanagan argued such a policy would make have made it impossible for him and writers such as Tim Winton to build their careers, as it would damage local publishers and see cheaper books from overseas authors flood the market.

"We'll see jobs lost, possibly our most successful cultural industry destroyed, and Australia as a nation will have had its tongue torn out," Mr Flanagan, who won the Booker in 2014 for his book The Narrow Road to the Deep North, said at the time.

Popular authors Peter Carey, Kate Grenville and Morris Gleitzman also campaigned against the change.

Australian Publishers Association President Louise Adler told Fairfax Media she was disheartened by the government's decision.

"We are going to have open borders for books," Ms Adler said.

"Mr Turnbull is an author in his own right. Does he really want to create an unfair playing field for Australian writers? It's extraordinary.

"There is no evidence whatsoever this will bring down prices."

Other countries have protections for local books, Ms Adler said.

But former competition watchdog Allan Fels has argued Australians are being "grossly" overcharged for books compared to overseas consumers.

Former Labor ministers Bob Carr and Craig Emerson have both backed the removal of parallel import restrictions as a way to bring book prices down. University students have campaigned for the change as a way to reduce the cost of expensive text books.

"Cheaper books for kids in poor communities is a good social reform, that's what has driven my interest in this," Mr Emerson said. Multinational book companies put pressure on local authors and publishers to oppose the removal of restrictions, he added.